BERSATU: NO PLOT TO TOPPLE DR MAHATHIR
Refrain from issuing personal statements, Khairuddin urged
PARTI Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has quashed Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan’s claim that a plan has been devised to unseat Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the prime minister.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Marzuki Yahya said the matter should not have arisen because Dr Mahathir was the leader of an elected government through the consensus of Pakatan Harapan component parties.
He urged Khairuddin, who is PH’s Communications and Mobility Committee member, to respect the people and refrain from issuing personal statements.
“That’s his view... how do you topple (an elected leader) when the people have already voted (for him)?
“To comment on something, we must first have respect for the people who have given their mandate and support to PH.
“The people have put their hopes in PH, especially Dr Mahathir, to restore the country, so there shouldn’t be any interpretations about bringing him down,” he said at a press conference at Institut Pemikiran Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (IPDM) at Universiti Utara Malaysia near here yesterday.
Earlier, the deputy foreign affairs minister attended the “Santai Bersama YB” programme at IPDM. It featured the topic “Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Leadership Legacy”.
Khairuddin claimed on Saturday that a plan had been hatched to overthrow Dr Mahathir as prime minister, devised by people who were frustrated as they did not secure any position in PH.
Marzuki said a request had been made for PH leaders not to issue any statements that might lead to confusion or discord among party members.
He said the people had given the mandate to PH as a government to restore the country, so opposing views by leaders should be discussed on the right platforms.
“Instead of slugging it out in public, any differences in opinions should be discussed, or the people will be disgusted. There is no need to issue statements that can be misleading.”
In Kuala Lumpur, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu dismissed Khairuddin’s claim, saying that Dr Mahathir could be removed only through a general election.
During a press conference on the sidelines of the 52nd Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) convocation yesterday, Mohamad, who is popularly known as Mat Sabu, said it was normal for the opposition to hatch such a plot. However, when it was pointed out that the one who raised the issue was from PH, he declined to comment.
“I have no information (regarding Khairuddin’s statement),” he said, adding that criticism from members of government was a normal process of democracy.
“We (members of the administration) are free to be criticised. For me (as defence minister), I carry out my work to the best of my ability.
“Criticism is normal at every level of government,” said Mohamad, who is Parti Amanah Negara president.
Recently, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy traded barbs over whether P. Waytha Moorthy should resign as minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Waytha Moorthy, who holds the portfolio of national unity and social wellbeing, is facing calls to resign following his statements about the riots at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya last month.